Crystal Dunn scored three goals for the Portland Thorns in May. (Abe Arredondo/USA TODAY Sports)
We’re nearing the halfway point of the 2023 NWSL season after a topsy-turvy month of May. The league saw a number of imbalanced scorelines, but no single player took a definitive lead in the Golden Boot race — or in the Player of the Month race, which had a number of worthy contenders.
With defenses across the NWSL still working on their cohesion, most of the top performers in May were those generating attacking chances, with quite a few coming from teams still on the upswing in the league table.
However, our regular season Player of the Month for May is likely a name well known to many.
Crystal Dunn, M, Portland Thorns
The 30-year-old had one of the best scoring months of her career in the Portland midfield in May, scoring three goals and registering an assist. She finished the month in a tie for first place in the 2023 Golden Boot race with five on the season.
A high-efficiency scorer, Dunn converted on 100% of her shots on goal this…
